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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. land — a country
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. content — the amount
  5. toast — bread
  6. swing — in golf
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. land — to come down
  9. suit — clothes
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. shower — to wash
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. swing — music
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. chair — a leader
  18. content — happy
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. land — ground
  22. shower — rain
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bay — a horse colour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com